This depends who you are.
For the wearer it must be comfortable and feel right.
For the viewer it must suit the wearer in shape and style, complementing the personality.
For me as a hat maker the hat must have a great shape.
Nothing is more exciting than walking down the street and marvelling at a fabulous hat at it comes towards you.The Jewish men wear their sharp black felts proudly, as do the Indians in their turbans.
A good shape in a hat will turn heads!
How do you get a great shape in a hat?
It starts way back at the design phase where a hat block or form is chosen to mould the felt or straw on.
wooden hat forms
Recently I was in Italy visiting a hat block maker, Mr Pellucci. He creates shapes for the Italian hat industry and I had the pleasure to chat with him about his work.
His sculpting skill is very specialised and is hugely repected by the headwear industry because without a good form you can not have a good hat. Pictured are some of his sample shapes.
Of course once you have bought a hat with a great shape make it your own by tweeking it to suit the real you.
Rosie Boylan
Hi Rosie,
Would you have the phone number and address for Mr Pelluci the block maker in Italy. I am needing some more flanges and he is the best in the world. I would really appriciate it. We have been in the mens hat business for 63 years in New York.
Thank you,
Steven